image: picclick.com
In this series I will go over all the games I remember playing as a kid on my Gamecube. Some were good, but most were bad, but all of them have a special place in my heart.
As mentioned in my Spongebob review, I was very much a fan of the content that was released on Nickelodeon at the time. I watched basically every program they threw on TV in the 2000’s and had some awesome memories with shows like Drake and Josh. I loved the Spongebob game to death, and I knew that I was ready to take on the whole Nick universe in “Nicktoons Unite!” However, I did not make it too far into the game as I remember defeating a villain and having no way to progress onward. Instead I will be talking about the sequel.
Nicktoons: Battle For Volcano Island is the second of the Nicktoons trilogy where the main playable characters include Spongebob, Danny Phantom and Timmy Turner. The plot of Volcano Island is not too complicated but not very clever either as the Nicktoons need to save an island from a bad guy because they are the chosen ones. This should get a pass considering the game is meant for children, but there are much more engaging games out there with similar plots, but they are made with a lot of love and charm. The beginning cut scene is so short and so bland that it really does not look like it will be a fun experience.
And it’s not. This game is very easy and very short, not lending a lot to come back too either. There are many collectable items for the player to get, and the rewards are fairly enticing such as new costumes for characters or new levels, but the game is so forgettable and too easy that the steady increase of challenge that brings players back to play more is basically non-existent. Spongebob: Battle For Bikini Bottom is easy as well, but there is a lot to do in the levels and stages presented in the game are well designed and a blast to go through. Volcano Island holds your hand and leaves very little to the imagination as what could be around the corner or what costumes could I get when I collect all the items.
The biggest culprit as to why this game is boring is the environment. The Island is very run-of-the-mill tropical island crap that can be seen in many other games, and it does not do anything unique or original with the concept. Crabs, birds, fish and sharks are the boring enemies that populate the game, and they are all very pathetic in design and boring in combat. This game does have vibrant colors, but after playing the game for a few minutes, it becomes old and tasteless very quickly.
A little more than an hour and a half go by and players are already at the final boss, which is a very easy enemy for anyone who has ever played a video game before. The credits roll and the player is left wondering why they played the game. This game isn’t insulting, hilariously bad, or even memorable. The worst way anyone could ever judge a game is by saying it was boring, and that’s exactly what this was. Hardly a memorable thing came up in my memory while writing about it, and it really shouldn’t go back onto anyone’s shelf.
Next week we groove to the beat on barrels and bananas.
